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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

ELEC.O. 882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

302

Enclosure 2 in No. 238.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SURVEYS to COLONIAL SECRETARY.

December 6, 1904. This plant, unserviceable at present, on account of the number of animal traction available, may be disposed of in two ways:→

1. If it is considered that the outbreak of a new surra epidemic is an event that may be deemed prudent to provide for, as then the tramway would come in handy, the only thing to do is to leave matters as they are, but to maintain the lines in good order; this will necessitate a monthly expenditure of say Rs. 100 at the outside.

2. If, on the other hand, the chances of a serious reappearance of the disease appear very remote, the most practical course I think is to insert advertisements that Government will accept offers for the whole or part of the plant of the town tram- way. I have talked over this matter with the General Manager of Railways and

he shares

my

views.

I have already recommended that the amount of plant required by the Admiralty might be taken from the town tramway plant; this will be so much money that will return into the Treasury.

The rails might be sold in situ, the distance being specified; probably it will be comparatively easy to sell the two engines; as regards the trucks, the General Manager of Railways informs me that they might be utilised on the Bois Chéri Railway, after

some alterations.

3. The course proposed above is probably the most practical-to-deal-with the question. It should be remembered that after all the town tramway was used for a very short time; it might be used again for a short period then as soon as there would be a possibility more animals would be introduced, because animal traction Port Louis answers better, on account of savings effected in loading and unloading goods and the distances are short; then the tramway would again be in the same position as at present.

3878

SIR,

No. 239.

P. LEJUGE DE SEGRAIS, Director, Public Works and Surveys.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BOYLE to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received February 6, 1905.)

(Confidential (2).)

:

Government House, Le Réduit, December 31, 1904. In my despatch, No. 463, of even date,* I have reported the present position and the action proposed to be taken with regard to the Port Louis Tramway which has proved a failure, and the operation of which, on a capital expenditure of nearly Rs. 120,000, has, after four months' trial, resulted in appreciable loss.

2. As soon as the facts were brought to my notice in November last, I decided that it would be irregular to borrow money to cover such expenditure, and that, therefore, whilst I had your authority to include a sum of Rs. 102,495.02 in the schedule of the New Loan Ordinance, I refrained from doing so, and gave my reasons to the Executive Council for the course which I had adopted.

3. In my numbered despatch* under reference I have refrained from com- menting upon the course of affairs and the conduct of those responsible for this failure, and useless expenditure of public money, but I cannot conceive it to be my duty to ignore herein the carelessness with which the scheme was initiated, when the exercise of a modicum of prudence would have pointed to the purchase of a pair of ordinary traction engines and some trucks such as are in use in Port Louis to-day, instead of the hurried provision for a nondescript light railway, the lack of fore- thought which led to the assumption that the public would not revert as soon as possible to the cheaper method of transport afforded by animal traction after the scare produced by the surra outbreak had subsided, or the gross negligence which anowed these hastily and ill-constructed lines to remain idle, and to deteriorate for many months after their completion.

• No. 238.

303

4. The course, too, adopted with regard to the additional expenditure of Rs. 18,200 is, in my opinion, most irregular-a so-called "special" warrant for that amount was issued in April of the last financial year, but no vote was taken and no report was submitted to you. A portion of the money was expended prior to the 30th of June last, and the remainder was rewarranted in July of the present financial year, with the same neglect of the regular and proper steps to be taken in such con- nection. I append copies of both these warrants.'

5. Before concluding the matter, it will be my care to see that the necessary covering authority of the Legislature is obtained for a proper adjustment of the accounts, but I cannot but feel that the members of Council will have just cause for complaint as to the procedure which has heretofore been followed, and in the neglect to which they, as a legislative body have been subjected in the matter, whilst I submit that, from an executive point of view, the mistakes which have been made are far from creditable to those who initiated and conducted the scheme to its lamentable failure.

3874

SIR,

(No. 1.)

No. 240.

I have, &c.,

CAVENDISH BOYLE.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BOYLE to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received February 6, 1905.)

[Answered by No. 249.]

Government House, Mauritius, January 1, 1905. REFERRING to the 8th paragraph of my despatch, No. 428, of the 3rd ultimo,† and to previous correspondence as to the raising of a loan to meet certain items of expenditure previously charged to general revenue, which course you have allowed this Government to adopt on two conditions which, as reported in my above-mentioned despatch, have now been fulfilled, I have the honour to transmit, herewith, for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure, Ordinance, No. 31, of 1904, entitled "An Ordinance to authorise the raising of a loan under the provisions of the General Loan and Inscribed Stock Ordinance, 1887," together with the usual report thereon by the Procureur-General.

2. It will be observed that power has been taken under Section 1 to raise by loan a sum not exceeding £69,500, whereas Governor to Secretary of State, No. 434 of 7th December, 1904.§

the present expenditure to be charged against the amount so provided is, in accordance with the schedule, but £58,798 in round figures. I have it in contemplation that the difference should be employed in finishing the Black River Railway as far as possible, after further consideration as to the future of that line, but I shall submit this matter to you separately at a later date. An additional Ordinance authorising the appro- priation of the balance for that purpose would, of course, be necessary. The amount expended on the town tramway has not been included in the schedule, under circum- stances which I have explained elsewhere.

3.

I have assented to the Ordinance, but, in accordance with what I have understood to be your wishes in this respect, I have caused a section to be inserted providing that it shall not come into force unless and until His Majesty's assent thereto has been notified. Viewing Section 4, therefore, as merely a suspending clause, the Ordinance has not been regarded as coming within paragraph 3 of predecessor's circular despatch (2) of the 16th March, 1903.*

your

4. If the Ordinance, and the steps generally to establish an equilibrium between revenue and expenditure which preceded it and have already been reported to you, meet with your approval, I would ask that the necessary steps as to issuing the loans authorised under the Ordinance may be taken by the Crown Agents in accordance with the provisions of the "General Loan and Inscribed Stock Ordinance," No. 1, of 1887.

I have, &c.,

CAVENDISH BOYLE.

• Not printed.

† No. 234.

Not reprinted.

§ No. 236.